The Soul of a SEAL Read online

  Kess smiled. “You’re a fanboy.”

  “Who isn’t?” Bennett returned his smile. He could play nice as long as Kess did. Strange thing was, he had an odd feeling about the man, as if something in his nature was hidden or duplicitous.

  “Now I remember where I heard your name. You worked at the Joint Space Operations Center for a time, monitoring and assessing our tech in space.” Bennett leaned forward. “I met you about ten years ago there.”

  “Yes,” said Kess flatly. “You were the one that unearthed the glitch from mounds of data we had posted in the troubleshooting room, and you did it within an hour of arriving.” Under his breath he added, “I had spent months working on that project, just searching for a solution, any answer I could find.”

  “Glad I could help,” said Bennett, ignoring the hidden dig as he picked up the pad of paper and placed it back in front of him. His eyes bored into Kess’s. He knew, from a long history of dealing with people, that half-swallowed words were a passive-aggressive tool of the trade; unless, of course, you were fucking someone silly. Then it was just pure embarrassment. Since that wasn’t the case here, Kess revealed his weaknesses. Given the man’s apparent insecurity, Bennett was going to keep an eye on him as well as put him at the top of the suspect list. Politely, he replied, “Good to see you again.”

  “Uh-huh,” replied Kess, whose eyes were like hot pokers boring into Bennett’s back as he got up abruptly and left the room. The image of Kess floating in space with his eyes bulging and his body swollen and bloated danced in Bennett’s imagination. Nope, it wouldn’t hurt his feelings at all if Kess was the guilty party. Insecure men were dangerous in times of war, and right now, the race to space was definitely a battlefield.

  He tapped his fingers on the pad of paper. There was a lot more going on here than was clear to the untrained eye. He wondered what his deceased brethren had found out, and if there had been any way for them to leave a message.

  “Sally, can you guide me to the former quarters of the SEALs?”

  “Yes. Follow the map on your phone, Captain.”

  Bennett looked down at the device. Distracted, he said, “Thanks.”

  Ripping off the pages of paper with the equations on them, plus a few additional ones so no one could read the impressions beneath, he stuffed them into his pocket and abandoned the pad. Using the map as a directional, he made his way to the rooms.

  At the door, he said, “Access.”

  “Not allowed,” Sally replied in a stilted voice.

  “By whose order?” asked Bennett, though he had an idea who the culprit was.

  “Hubbard, the Lester facility manager. It is sealed until the authorities can examine it.”

  Huh, he would have thought Kess was behind the request. Now, where would he find this Hubbard?

  * * *

  Love comes in all forms. Sometimes an invitation gets you nowhere; you have to grab the bull by the horns and lead him to where the action needs to take place.

  Kimberly had seen Bennett standing in front of the former rooms of the SEALs. She tapped her fingers against his back.

  He spun on her, a strange expression on his face. “Sorry about that. You startled me.”

  “I’m flattered,” she said. “You must have been deep in thought.”

  “I was. Do you know where I’d find Hubbard?” Bennett looked over her head at the different directions that were offered. The hallway split in four directions.

  “In his office. It’s near the main entrance, the first doorway on the left.”

  “Okay.” He turned to leave.

  “Wait. I…I’d like to, uh, talk to you for a few minutes. Do you have time?” A rather daring idea had struck her, and she’d decided in that moment to act on it. What was the saying? Fortune favors the brave. She was determined to follow through on this particular need for courage. She wanted more after their romp in the woods, and she was determined to know if her body’s response was a fluke or if Bennett really could push her buttons like a virtuoso.

  “Sure,” he said when he saw her. “What’s up?”

  “Stuff,” she replied. “Do you have time to chat with me for a while?”

  “I guess.” His preoccupied expression didn’t stop her from taking Bennett’s hand. She kissed him once, twice, and a third time tenderly on the mouth and then led him in a new direction. She felt like the iconic Mae West as his gaze focused on her.

  By that point, his distant expression had changed to one of exquisite interest. His hands brushed hers now and then as they walked, and she adored the sparks it sent zinging through her body.

  They headed down a series of hallways together, and it was dumb luck that no one else encountered them on their journey. All systems seemed “go” as they entered the antigravity locker room, walked through it, and ended up on the platform before a large pill-shaped metal chamber attached to spinning pistons at either end. It was the size of four recreational vehicles.

  Kimberly was grateful that Melo hadn’t been in here yet. She peeked in the window. Stretching out before them was a one-story weightless room, and it was blessedly empty and clean. The room was encompassed by a tank that could create a faux-weightless environment inside, different from the AG chamber in that no harnesses were required—and thankfully, no monitor or technicians.

  She was pretty confident in her ability to sway him, because in truth, what she really wanted was to get him naked and fool around. “Let’s go inside.”

  “Okay.”

  They entered. She closed the door behind them and locked it.

  “Where did you do your training?” she asked for the third time as she set the controls that turned off gravity and had them both floating off their feet. Doesn’t every girl dream of being swept away? She did, and this place was a fantasy destination she planned to check off on her bucket list—the one she had for her and the right person.

  His eyebrows lifted. “Should I be offended that you aren’t listening to my answer or flattered that you keep asking it?”

  As she unbuttoned her blouse, she responded. “Flattered. NASA. I get it. I know the history of Frogmen—Underwater Demolition Teams, UDTs—meeting capsules and getting the astronauts out safely, and I know that a handful of SEALs go through astronaut readiness training as part of an elite group that’s prepped for off-world duty. I’m familiar with space. I know you probably want to say more on the issue, but I don’t know how much time we’ll get. A stolen moment should be appreciated and used, rather than overanalyzed. What do you think?”

  His smile lit his face slowly. “How many times have you done this…Dr. Warren?”

  “Never!” She was appalled by the question, but given how brazen she was being, perhaps it was justified.

  “Scratching an itch then?”

  “Something like that.” She was down to her bra and panties now. When she snagged her pants before they floated away and withdrew a string of condoms wrapped in foil, even she laughed. “Okay, maybe I was being slightly ambitious.”

  “If you think I can go five times without a break, have at it, my dear. I’m game to give it a try.” His tone was low and sultry as he stripped his own clothes off and moved toward her.

  As he passed by her, he laughed like a like an awkward teenager on his first date. The burst of enthusiasm made her giddy in return, and they chased each other around the chamber, floating here and there.

  Her adrenaline pumped and her libido was hungry. She wanted him, needed him to make love to her. Grabbing the handholds above her, she locked her feet into a foothold and beckoned him. “Bennett. Come here.”

  His smile was wry, but he came to her all the same. When he grabbed the same hand positions, their fingers brushed. His mouth a hair’s breadth away and his eyes searing hers, he said, “Yes, Kimberly. How may I pleasure you?”

  “Be creative,” she whispered
against his mouth, loving his politeness. She licked her lips, and his eyes were suddenly tracking her movements. She took a deep breath, and her chest heaved with the intake.

  A wicked gleam sprang into his eyes as his mouth slanted over hers. His tongue pillaged her own as he freed a hand to wrap around the back of her head. Her control slipped away as his hands and body demanded response. Arching her back and thrusting her body against his, she opened herself to him, willing him to take and to allow himself to be open too.

  His mouth broke suddenly from hers. “So sexy,” he said. “Where does all this passion come from?” That intense gaze was back, ordering her to answer, needing to know why.

  “You,” she murmured back.

  “Truth,” he said softly, stroking his fingers down her face and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. It immediately floated back out, but he kissed it back into place, toying with the tender flesh of her earlobe.

  Her hands slipped between them and her fingers slid a condom into place, and then her legs wrapped around his waist. Moving her hips against the top of his cock, she teased him, loving the position of power.

  He pushed off gently from the wall and they tumbled into the center of the chamber.

  Holding on to each other, they kissed and explored, never letting go.

  “Was this what you wanted?” he asked as he slowly thrust his hips, sinking himself deep inside of her.

  Her breath caught in her throat. Words were forgotten as she nodded her head. Her body was too full for any other response.

  He was very still inside of her, and her body stretched to accommodate him. When she could at last speak, she asked, “What’s your fantasy, sailor?”

  “This…” he said against her lips before he kissed her again. “You. A passionate woman who knows what she wants.”

  “I do.” Her belly did a somersault as his words hit home. Had anyone told her that exactly what and who she was, was exactly what and who she needed to be? It was an aphrodisiac of the most explosive kind.

  Her hips thrust against his, and their movements sent them into motion again. They went head over heels while caught in each other’s embrace.

  As they headed toward a wall, he caught a handrail and steadied them. He turned her around and entered from behind. All the while, he continued nibbling along the back of her neck and her spine.

  Her sheath vibrated with excitement as the new angle hit not only her G-spot, but also her A-spot, and she climaxed several times. Her body was alive with electricity, and it shook with satisfaction as he turned her in his arms—toward him, reentering her slowly until she was moving wantonly against him again.

  This time, he could not be contained, and he threw back his head and cried out, “Kimberly!” His body spasmed. The climax rocked his whole body, and she could feel his muscles reacting against her.

  Burying his face into her hair, she relished the closeness of him inside her and wrapped around her. Nothing in her wildest imagination could hold a candle to this experience. It was lovemaking above and beyond what she thought possible, until now. The bar had been set very high.

  Her fingers sank into his hair as her tongue traced the top of his ear.

  He shuddered against her, spent, and laughed low and deep. “You might need to give me a few minutes.”

  “I have all the time in the world,” she answered, pulling his head back so she could look at him. Her lips brushed over his. Her nipples, hard nubs, teased his skin as one of his arms wrapped around her and their mouths locked in languorous battle.

  “Kimberly, you are needed in the center room. There’s a heated discussion underway that you must handle.” The computer’s voice was an invasion into the sanctity of their private hideaway. Whatever was going on had better be worth it.

  Kimberly hugged Bennett close, not wanting to let go.

  “It’s okay,” he murmured. “We knew it was a stolen moment.”

  Her fingers trailed along his jaw. His eyes held hers, and she wanted to spend an eternity exploring what happened in there. Strange, how this man had become as interesting to her as space itself. Never in her most inventive dreams had she imagined that happening. Men were beings that scratched an itch or satisfied an urge, but they were never—heaven forbid—a distraction from work. How had Bennett Sheraton made it under her skin so fast? And would she ever have her fill of him?

  None of these questions would be answered today, and it didn’t look like they were going to have a second act in their lovemaking session, so perhaps she should get to work. Heaven knew how much time she spent fantasizing about Bennett!

  “Dr. Warren, your compliance is mandatory, by order of the manager of the Lester Facility, Dr. Hubbard,” urged Sally. “He’s an impatient person, as you know.”

  Kimberly nodded her head against Bennett’s shoulder as her fingers slowly released her grip on his muscle mass. At the same time, other parts of her anatomy released their firm grip on his, breaking the physical connection they’d made.

  Giving him a quick kiss, she pushed off with her feet, angling her body toward the doorway. Seeing the condom float off behind her, along with her panties, bra, and the rest of her clothing, she said, “I’ll leave the cleanup in your hands, Boss.” She winked as she used his Team nickname, and it was the worth it. The look he gave her would have sliced her in half if he’d had lasers for eyes. Thank goodness for mortal strengths and weaknesses. She laughed softly to herself.

  Grabbing the handrail, she eased her body into the transition chamber, closed the door, and pushed the button to restore normal gravity. Her body was yanked back to the ground, and it took her a few seconds to reorient.

  She checked the monitor on the other side of the door and saw it was clear. Not that she was a prude, but she didn’t particularly want to answer any questions. The one she feared was “Is Sheraton the one?”

  Walking out the other side completely naked didn’t faze her as she headed to the locker room to shower. Barring nuclear disaster or a meltdown of something important, she was safe in thinking there was time to tidy up before she diplomatically handled the disaster that had Hubbard screaming for her. Given that she was not the most politically correct person in the world, it would to be a real stretch for her—a last-ditch effort for the Lester Facility, most likely—but, hey, it was never her choice to be thrown into the mix.

  * * *

  Walking into the middle of two grown men on the verge of a fistfight was downright stupid. Unfortunately, that was exactly what Kimberly did when she rushed between them and got caught in the verbal crossfire.

  “The universe is thirteen-point-eight billion years old,” Dr. Wang Lee shouted. His vehemence was punctuated with a raised fist that shook in the air.

  “It’s younger, around twelve. Haven’t you taken a turn at the Hubble? No, I expect not, as you are of little importance in the space discussions we’re having here.” Dr. Yuri Pelsin towered over both her and Dr. Lee. He’d use anything to gain an advantage, she’d learned. Yuri was such an ass.

  “Next thing you’re going to tell me is that the solar system is only two billion years old, when I’ve proved it’s four-point-five billion.” Dr. Lee lifted both of his fists in front of him.

  The man across from him responded in the same manner, and the two men squared off.

  “Cool it!” she shouted at the top of her lungs. Taking a deep breath, she regretted it instantly. The room smelled like feet, or old blue cheese stuffed in a hot room for a month, and the bodies inside it didn’t appear to have showered in quite some time. She’d had periods in her life where she enjoyed being a naturalist, but if there was ever a time to wear deodorant, it would be here, in a room full of thinkers, or at Comic-Con International. Hey, she was a geek at heart! “Sally, strobe the lights,” she murmured into her phone.

  Above them, the lights flickered on and off until the shouting stopped. S
ilence fell in the room. The silence was a welcome response and the one she’d hoped for. Now that she had their attention, she was going to use it.

  Kimberly threw twin looks of disgust at Hubbard and Kess, neither of whom had done anything to solve the situation, but rather had waited and tossed the issue into her lap. Both of them looked away. Why did she have to be the one with the biggest balls in the room?

  They deserved her ire, and she hoped they felt some kind of pain from her pointed look, but she highly doubted it.

  “Thank you, Sally,” said Kimberly, acknowledging the computer loudly. “Now, scientists, you all represent some of the greatest minds of our century, and we have serious hurdles to overcome before we can launch. The optimal window is Friday, and that gives us a very short timeline to make everything happen. So, put aside your differences and your debates, and get to work. Is that understood?”

  A murmur rose from the crowd. Several faces turned red as their owners slunk toward the door, but most of the group remained.

  “Combining our theories and these great minds will be a temporary situation, this is true, but we can create something long lasting with our work. This is what we need to help humanity. The resources we have access to right now are limitless.”

  Yuri scoffed at her words. “If you need a computer to help you manage all of us, I don’t know how you achieved such a successful shuttle design, Dr. Warren. A girl, no less, designed this. I still don’t believe it.”

  “The fact that I’m a woman has nothing to do with either brains or success. I’m not a closed-minded individual, and this allowed me to imagine and construct this amazing shuttle in a manner that only an open mind can conceive. Sally has been very instrumental, and insightful.” She cocked her head to the side. “Only a fool throws away tools that are useful.”

  “Perhaps. There’s integrity in doing it alone. Is it better to be a wise man among fools or a fool among wise men?” After delivering this biblical bon mot, Yuri stepped out of reach before she could strike out at him. She would have too, but the man was so obviously baiting her that she smiled at him. Kess would never allow Yuri to be removed. She couldn’t put her finger on what was going on with those two. Spinning her finger in the air, she said, “To work, everyone. Move.”